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The extensive NYCB Festival review is not just entertainingly direct and personal - Manhattnik’s New York snap was a joy - but an engrossing detailing of Balanchine ballets we don’t see here. Historically valuable, a prime potential resource for choreographers, stagers and historians in the future. Bravo to Bruce and ballet.co for giving it the acreage that enabled the detailing. His memory (or note-taking) was evidently phenomenal, and his passion and epicureanism spills out on the page. Reader, it is time well spent.

Oh Bruce, that is so effing sad.

Jane, thank you for passing on this news. I agree with you that Alexandra was a true and loving friend to ballet, and particularly of interest to British dancegoers because she so loved the “English” school - which isn’t so common in the US despite the cultural kinship. Her Kronstam biog and Bournonville expertise are essential sources and though I never met her or had your contact I very much share your sense that she was vital in the chain of passing on nuances, tastes and knowledge. Condolences to her friends and family. Ismene

Sim kindly suggested that I post clearer links to four hour-long filmed interviews I made recently with Adam Cooper, Tory Dobrin, Matz Skoog and Sarah Wildor, which are now on Youtube. The interviews include film clips and numerous photographs charting their impressive lives, aimed to enlighten dance students at the Vyne Dance Academy Berkhamsted about the wide range of possibilities and directions they took, as well as demonstrating attitudes and decision-making required to reach the heights. Technical quality is rookie, as these were filmed live. Although they were referenced briefly as a group in Links last week, this post makes them easier to find individually. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuahG7FpjL8 Adam Cooper, legendary as the Swan in Matthew Bourne’s world hit Swan Lake. Topics include his seven years at the Royal Ballet and partnerships with Darcey Bussell, Sylvie Guillem and wife Sarah Wildor, the transition to Bourne’s Adventures in Motion Pictures to star in Swan Lake and other works, self-development as a choreographer-performer in Singin’ in the Rain and Liaisons Dangereuses, and his approach to risk-taking. Includes Billy Elliot clip (of course). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJCXQKNsOqQ Sarah Wildor, the exquisite “English” ballerina of the 1990s Royal Ballet, Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella, and the Broadway hit show Contact. Topics include the Royal Ballet School, the power of the corps de ballet, her approach to comedy and tragedy, Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan’s ballerina roles, friendship with Anthony Dowell and marriage to Adam Cooper, her resignation from the Royal Ballet, performing with Matthew Bourne and Susan Stroman, professional versatility and ballet artistry. Clips include A Month in the Country and Symphonic Variations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVMHNNrnnqk Ex-ENB artistic director Matz Skoog. Topics include his childhood training and quick rise in Royal Swedish Ballet, his performing career in London Festival Ballet/English National Ballet, the originating of Christopher Bruce's celebrated Swansong, the turbulent years of directorship at ENB, his eclectic outlook on ballet as an art, and insights about confidence and self-development in his new capacity as a professional life coach. Includes Swansong clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GQpcfR3n_c Trocks artistic director Tory Dobrin discusses his 40+ years with the legendary male ballerina comedy troupe, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, including his early years in LA, the Trocks' birth in the US Aids crisis, male pointe work, drag styles, gender politics, 19th-century Russian ballet, diva legends, Anna Pavlova, Japanese kabuki, and the occasional reluctance of choreographers to be parodied by the Trocks. Includes performance and documentary clips.

You have your decades wrong, Mart, and you muddled up Sedova's career with Besobrasova's. Babilée was not taking lessons in the 1950s, he was a world-famous dancer by then. He debuted professionally in 1940, with Besobrasova's company, aged 16. Sedova did not run a Monte Carlo ballet company - she taught in Cannes and the south of France. The situation was complicated by the war - Monaco was nominally neutral while northern France was occupied, though the south of France was at first a 'free zone' run by the Vichy government on behalf of Germany. There was a large Ballets Russes community in the Monte Carlo area. Sedova was living and teaching in Cannes, and giving classes in Nice and Menton. These are all very close to Monte Carlo, the longtime home, of course, of the Ballets Russes company. But once the Germans invaded France, Monaco's separate statehood made travel more complicated. Besobrasova was one of the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo ballerinas, a one-time pupil of Sedova. She describes in an extensive interview with Meilakh how in 1940 as a result of Sedova being unable to travel as easily as before, her star pupils, the Golovines (Serge who was 16, Solange and George), who were starting to perform in Monte Carlo, turned to Besobrasova (who was then 22) for lessons. Babilée, also 16, was sent to Monte Carlo by his parents from occupied Paris, and he joined Besobrasova's classes. After a falling out with the Casino management, Besobrasova and her young performers, including Babilée, Golovine and Trailine, were financed by the Aga Khan in a move to Cannes as the Ballet de Cannes. In 1942 things fell apart; Monaco was invaded by Italy, and the Germans ended the 'free zone'. Unable to operate, Besobrasova and Babilée returned to Paris, where Babilée joined Paris Opera Ballet and Besobrasova went on to become the balletmistress of the De Cuevas company. Certainly, she established her own studio in Monte Carlo in 1952, but this was more than 10 years after Babilée became professional. So perhaps you will now accept that my work was not incorrect.

Janet, I needed to make no clarification. Mart is the one who should clarify whether he/she has some other information that supersedes Babilée and Besobrasova's own words to Meilakh on the matter. If not, please would you remove the comment as it impugns my professional competence. Ismene Brown

Mart, perhaps you will allow me to correct you. Jean Babilée himself said Marika Besobrasova was his teacher. Besobrasova herself also confirmed it. I have read both these interviews with Mikhail Meilakh from his large collection of interviews with dancers of that era. Ismene Brown